CSL Gains IP to Aid in Flu Vaccine Manufacturing

MedImmune licensed its reverse genetics intellectual property to CSL of Australia to support the development of new human seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines. Reverse genetics is a method by which viruses, such as influenza, can be generated entirely from segments of DNA.

"We believe that this technology is an important breakthrough for the manufacturing of all influenza vaccines, because it is more efficient and reliable than current methods used to produce vaccine strains,” remarks Edward T. Mathers, MedImmune's executive vp, corporate development and venture. “For pandemic vaccines, reverse genetics can be particularly important and necessary because it does not require vaccine manufacturers to work directly with the infectious pandemic strain, such as H5N1, rather only segments of its genome."

MedImmune will receive an upfront payment and has the potential to receive royalties on any vaccine stockpiles or other product sales that use the reverse genetics technology.